Now this is some seriously cool shit.

[unixronin]

Volkswagen has built a self-driving VW Golf that can plan its own routes in real time around obstructions and traffic cones, then race through the route at up to 150mph -- no creeping around the test course at 10mph here.  VW claims it can drive a laid-out test course faster and more precisely than their own engineers can drive the car manually.  VW says features of the car will be appearing in production VWs "in a few years".

Now THIS could cut down on traffic fatalities -- and maybe traffic congestion too.

(Thanks to midiamin for the out-of-band pointer.)

Comments

[blackcoat.livejournal.com]

Also, it's significantly less likely that you're going to be running 3rd party software, installing that video card that had a driver conflict, or surfing the net for virus laden porn.

After all, unless you're driving a car that is totally manual, you're already depending on computers to keep your engine running, shift for you, intermediate between your steering wheel and your tires, and in some newer cars work the brakes. So I don't wanna hear about how "I don't trust computers in cars."

[cymrullewes.livejournal.com]

We trust computers to run our heart and lung bypass machines during surgery and our respirators afterwards....

[olafthunderfoot.livejournal.com]

i drive a 1949 Plymouth Special Deluxe, 3 speed column shifter, points and a carberator! ain't no 'puter in my ride!

[blackcoat.livejournal.com]

...well, ok. You're strange. And, as I said, "unless you're driving a car that is totally manual," which yours fits the bill.

[olafthunderfoot.livejournal.com]

~grinz~ i'm not strange, i just happen to be a mechanic that hates new cars!

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

At times, I miss my considerably-worked 1970 Camaro SS350. But at the time I sold it, it was about to start consuming large quantities of money, because it needed the engine reworked to run happily on unleaded gas, and could have used new front fenders to REALLY fix the body cancer.

At that, though, I'd installed a Purolator breakerless electronic ignition with a Hall-effect sensor and a trigger ring in the distributor, so it was no longer EMP-hard anyway.

[olafthunderfoot.livejournal.com]

i don't have hardened valve seats, i just dome lead additive in the tank when i fill up!